1st Infantry Company
) | march = | mascot = Alexander | anniversaries = | equipment = | equipment_label = | battles = Multiple | decorations = Medaille d'honneur en guerre, Order of Merit with gold stars, 1784 War medal, 1814 War Medal, Great War medal, Defense of Brunant Medal, Resistance Cross, 1945 War Medal, Kuwait Medal, Afghanistan Medal | battle_honours = Invasions of Ibiza, Civil War, War of Quadruple Alliance, Franco-Marianan War, Invasion of Mariana, War of 6th Coalition, Great War, Defense of Mariana, World War II, Gulf War, Kosovo, Afghanistan War | battle_honours_label = | disbanded = | flying_hours = | website = | current_commander = Captain Felix de Grave | commander1 = | commander1_label = | commander2 = | commander2_label = | commander3 = | commander3_label = | commander4 = | commander4_label = | commander5 = | commander5_label = | commander6 = | commander6_label = | commander7 = | commander7_label = | commander8 = | commander8_label = | commander9 = | commander9_label = | notable_commanders = | identification_symbol = | identification_symbol_label = Battle flag (1814) | identification_symbol_2 = | identification_symbol_2_label = | identification_symbol_3 = | identification_symbol_3_label = | identification_symbol_4 = | identification_symbol_4_label = | identification_symbol_5 = | identification_symbol_5_label = }} The 1st Infantry Company "Cygnus" is the oldest and most senior company of Mariana's Royal Guard. It was founded in 1519, raised to provide troops for an ultimately unsuccessful invasion of Ibiza island. Captain Felix De Grave is the commander of the company, and the Arabain tahr Alexander is the Captain-General. Cygnus Company is the most decorated company in the Royal Guard, having received every battle honour, as well as 12 orders and eight campaign medals. History Early history 18th and 19th century The 1st Company was one of the key units of the Marianan involvement in the Napoleonic Wars. They took part in the Battles of of Garris and Orthez, at the end of the peninsular campaign, and at Quatre Bras, Waterloo and Péronne in June 1815. Great War Second World War Modern history Following World War II, Cygnus Company went several decades without combat, but its members participated in UN peacekeeping missions to Central America and Asia. In 1990 Mariana joined the coalition supporting Kuwait in the Gulf War, and Cygnus Company was sent to Saudi Arabia in December that year, as part of Operation Eckstein, aimed at providing security and in communications. The company pushed into Kuwait at the start of liberation and were there engaged by Iraqi forces on three occasions. Cygnus Company was involved with Kosovo Force, undertaking peacekeeping work in Kosovo in 2000-2001. In 2003 Mariana became involved in the Afghanistan War and Cygnus Cie became the second Marianan unit into Afghanistan (after the 12th Infantry Company), stationed at FOB Adriana in Kunduz province. They were mostly focused on security operations and disposal of IEDs and ordnance. One soldier of the cie, Private Chris Jonker, was injured in a firefight with Afghan insurgents in May 2007, the company's only casualty. Company symbols Insignia The Insignia of the 1st Infantry Company "Cygnus" is a purpure and argent lozegne, with the silver crown of Mariana and the French motto "Fortitude". To both sides of the lozenge are campaigns and years in which the company has participated in. To the bottom one can find medals and honours bestowed upon the company and its members, which are the Medaille d'honneur en guerre, Silver War Cross and Order of Merit with gold stars (two with 4 stars each, the maximum possible awarded). Below these are the campaign medals 1784 War medal, 1814 War Medal, Great War medal, Defense of Mariana Medal, Resistance Cross, 1945 War Medal, Kuwait Medal and Afghanistan Medal. The company's insignia was adopted in the 17th century, but in its current form dates to 2008. On uniforms, soldiers wear a shoulder insignia of just the crown, lozenge and motto without the honours, this design being in use since 1916. Battle flag The first battle flag of the company dates to 1533, being a white pennant with a purple stripe, since lost. During the Civil War a white pennant with a striped white and purple lozenge and crowns was first used, later having the crowns at each corner cut out as the company abandoned the royalist side. The present battle flag dates to 1814; until the Great War period the company had used a different number of slightly varying designs but in 1918 it was decided to use the oldest existing flag, from the Napolonic War campaign. The original banner remains in a glass case but during subsequent wars up to Afghanistan, modern reproductions of the flag have been used. Mascot Alexander, an Arabian tahr residing at Palma Zoological Park is the Captain-General of the 1st Infantry Company, holding said rank. Alexander was originally taken in by the troops of the 1st Cygnus, while stationed in Saudi Arabia in 1991. Alexander returned to Mariana and was presented to the Palma Zoo. Alexander was enlisted as a private. He was promoted to sergeant in 1993. He was often present at parades and reviews. Alexander died in 1995. A second Alexander joined the unit that year. He was promoted to First Sergeant and in 2000, he was given the rank of Warrant Officer. Alexander was commissioned in 2002 as an officer. Alexander died in 2009 and when a third Alexander joined the company, he was given an exceptional promotion to the honorary appointment of Captain-General of the Company. With twenty years of service with the unit, he was given an honorary awarding of the Order of St. Andrew and now has the title of cavalier. Category:Mariana Category:Military